C:HAIRS
creator // director // character design // animation // compositing
[ Sep 2021 to May 2023: My Magnum Opus ]
Inspiration
When I was a child, I would watch my dad code into the early hours of the morning. He had a habit of shaking his leg, eyes glued to his screen, shrimp posture, and a bit of a tummy.
At the time, this future scared me. Funnily enough, I grew up and now I'm just like my dad. I just draw instead. I realized that it isn't about sitting in a chair. It's about what makes you happy while you're in that chair.
In 2021, I woke up to a dream of a strange man typing in the corner of a room.
I drew this image and decided that I was going to make a film.
Exploration
I coupled this idea with my experience at an engineering cram school in India called FIITJEE - the most miserable period of my life.
Here, I learned that passion (art) should be pursued and not sacrificed for backup plans and stability (engineering).
That's a bit of a strong statement actually... let me amend that to - "I couldn't handle the idea that I would spend my life on something I had no interest in giving my all to.
Storyboards
I wanted to capture the harrowing feeling that I experienced every day when I was going to FIITJEE.
The windowless Stability Software building was loosely based on my old school's design.
I contrasted the rigidity of Stability Software with the organic world around it. As we enter deeper into the building, we transition from traditionally sketched backgrounds to a stiff, 3D-generated computer world.
Character Design
I stayed fairly true to the original vision of the chairman. I gave him bloodshot eyes and thinner limbs (because the typing and shaking give them a good workout) and a curved spine to account for his posture.
For the intern, the heavy bag I would carry to school worked as a great metaphor for the weight of depression and made its way into the design as a briefcase. I wanted his design to feel loose and flowy to contrast the rigidity of Stability Software.
Polishing
The film's first version was completed in about 3 months as the final assignment for my short film class.
I felt the film still needed some love and attention before it could reach its full potential. And so that's what I did in my free time, little by little, over the span of the next two years.